The Thief and the Con Artist
by Snoring Dragon Productions
Summary: You were judged ever since you were a young cub. If people assumed they already knew what you were, might as well be it. You are able to get by with your knack of finding things. But when you meet a Con Artist fox you wonder if you have met your match. He makes you feel something you haven't in a long time... hope. Can you steal his heart or will he be the one tricking you?
1. Chapter 1: City Streets

Chapter 1: City Streets

You gingerly wove your way through the bustling city streets. The sun was bright and made your fur pleasantly warm as you wandered around the center of Zootopia. Shielding your eyes with a slender paw, your mismatched eyes squinted at the crowd you found yourself in. The mass of bodies around you made you feel as if you were suffocating. You couldn't turn without nearly bumping into someone else. A green eye and a purple eye gleamed as you realized that you were exactly where you wanted to be. A sly grin formed on your fluffy face as you quickly began to walk forward.

Quick paw steps allowed you to make it to the very center of the mass of animals. You slowed your gait until you were merely going at a brisk walk. It was a walk that was expected in the busy city you lived in. Breathing in deeply, you placed a sweet smile on your face and let your eyes wander. The buildings were amazing. They stretched to the sky and seemed to get lost in the clouds. When you looked at them you felt small and powerless. Shivering, you let your eyes focus on something else. The sidewalk was well maintained and had very little damage. It seemed that everything was well maintained in Zootopia.

"Umf!" You let out a soft muffle as you walked right into a tall antelope. Raising your glittering eyes, you gave a small wave. "Sorry about that."

"Watch where you are going!" He yelled right in your masked face.

"I really am sorry. Here let me help you." You tried to clean the dust off of his red polo shirt. Desperately, your black paws moved across his torso.

"I don't need your help! Get your paws off of me!" He grabbed your small paws in his large hooves and roughly pushed you away, causing you to land on your large tail.

"Ouch." You winced as you stroked your fluffy and aching tail. You noticed with a small frown that he had succeeded in getting your outfit dustier than he was. Muttering more apologies, you began to pat down your bright yellow shirt. It was a blouse adorned with light pink cherry blossoms and one of the few shirts you actually liked. Grimacing, you noticed that your paws only smeared the dirt.

"Clean yourself up you dirty raccoon!" The antelope huffed as he quickly walked away.

Your eyes flashed for a moment before regaining their lost look. "Sorry." You mumbled as you walked away from him as quickly as you could. 'Sorry you are such a sap.'

You grinned devilishly as you tossed the wallet in the air before catching it in one paw. Licking your muzzle with anticipation, you quickly opened it to see how much you had scored. It was not much, just a couple of bucks. Groaning, you snatched the dollars and tossed the wallet on the ground. The jerk of an antelope could find it later.

"Maybe he can fill it with a real score for me." You said in your silky voice. It was hard to hide the natural suave and confidence that your voice contained. When tricking saps like him you had to try hard to make sure you sounded meek and sorry. Most times it was worth it when something big came your way. This time however, it was not. "That was a waste."

Continuing your walk, your quick eyes scanned the crowd. Your short, wavy hair bounced as you transitioned into a carefree gait. It was jet black and shimmered in the sunlight, occasionally it caught the eye of a passerby but you made sure to lose them in the crowd. The last thing you wanted was to attract attention. You smirked at the fact that you were trying to blend into a crowd. If your two different eye colors and eye catching outfit was not enough, your ringed tail and mask certainly caused animals to go on edge.

You had always been called a thief when you were a young cub. It had always bothered you when animals would judge you before they even knew your name. You would sniff and force the tears back into your eyes as you endured insult after insult. It was important to make sure you never showed them that they got to you. That was what your mom had always told you when you would come home from school crying about what your classmates had said. Eventually, you were able to stop the tears and plaster a fake smile on your face. It was usually to please your mom.

As the years passed however, you began to realize that maybe it was not a bad thing. At least you no longer had to wonder what you would be when you grew up. The other animals were always changing their minds and worrying about what their future held. One day they would be a doctor, then the next they would decide to be a teacher instead. But you always knew. You never changed your mind and you never worried. When you realized that the world had already decided how your life would play out… it was actually kind of liberating. After all, if there was only one thing you could be, you must be naturally good at it. Otherwise so many of your kind would not engage in that activity.

You gave a small smile as you scanned the animals around you. You certainly did have a knack for your job. Everyday brought a decent amount of money in and you almost never had a run in with the police. Swishing your tail with anticipation, your bright eyes flashed as you noticed a sheep bending over trying to collect the scattered contents of his wallet. It was almost too easy. Sauntering over, you bent down and scooped up the assorted coins, bills, and cards. Giving him a smile, you placed them in his hooves. He gazed at you suspiciously and began to count the money right in front of you.

Trying hard to keep your disgust from showing, you waited for him to reassure himself that nothing was missing. Grunting, as if he was upset that you had not stolen anything, he shoved the money into his wallet and began to walk away. Slightly brushing against him as you passed, your mouth formed a hard line. It wouldn't have killed him to say thank you.

'I guess he'll just have to thank me with this.' You thought as you felt the wad of cash grasped firmly in your paw. No one ever expected a thief to steal after they were spotted.

"What now?" You said softly in your silky voice. Half-lidded eyes scanned the crowd through long eyelashes. You turned your body around to give yourself a better view of the crowd around you. Slender and small, you seemed almost catlike in appearance. Moving with grace and fluidity commonly found in felines, your unmistakable markings were the only things that reassured animals that you were indeed, a raccoon.

"Bingo." You whispered as you saw a fluffy tail disappear behind a building. It was a tail that you would recognize anywhere. The one animal that was judged as harshly as you were. Foxes were some of your favorite victims. It made you feel proud to be able to outwit something that others assumed was as sly as you. Your mind instantly assumed that the fox's pockets were lined with cash earned in unconventional ways.

'Time to have some fun.' You thought with a chuckle before following the tail.


	2. Chapter 2: Ice Cream

Chapter 2: Ice Cream

Your steps were quick and nimble as you made sure to keep him in sight. He was definitely a fox. The tail, fur, and way his eyes kept shifting from side to side proved that. Your eyes narrowed as you noticed him walk up to a van. It seemed like he was waiting for someone. Making sure to stay a safe distance away, you leaned against a building and acted as if you were waiting for someone as well. Your tail twitched occasionally as you watched him from the corner of your eyes. He did not move at all. Agitated by the fact that he was stiller than you, you forced your tail to remain still. It took some effort to ignore the need to flick your tail, a habit you had since you were little.

'The nerve of that guy. Just… standing there.' You groaned quietly as you realized that you could not think of anything else he was doing wrong to irritate you. That only made you angrier. 'Why doesn't he move?'

It would be more efficient to continue wandering the streets and pick pocket a few other animals but you find yourself riveted to your spot. The feeling of outsmarting a fox kept you there as the seconds turned to minutes. You tell yourself over and over again that it will all be worth it when you see the look on his face. Snickering, you allow yourself a moment to picture those green eyes widened in shock when he realizes that he has been robbed blind. You lazily turn your head to see whether he is still waiting.

"What?" You say as your eyes widen with shock instead. He was gone.

Growling under your breath, you chastise yourself for being so careless. Of course he noticed that you were watching him! He had been setting you up. Making your mind wander while he slipped away unnoticed. You break into a run and try to catch a glimpse of his unmistakeable Hawaiian print shirt. A shirt like that could be spotted a mile away. Not to mention his interesting tie.

'I could find him by his smug face alone.' You think with agitation. 'How does he expect to hide with a get up like that?'

Blushing, you look down at your own outfit for a split second. Your bright yellow shirt and light pink pants seem to scream at you. The pink, flower clip in your hair brushes against your ear for a moment… something it never does. Your paws form fists as you attempt to ignore the insults your outfit is screaming to you. Your eyes quickly scan the crowds as you look for the fox. He had to be somewhere close, you had only looked away for a second.

'Was it a second? I can't remember.' You try to figure out how long you had been daydreaming about robbing the annoying fox blind.

Just when you think it is time to give up and score a few more sheep, you see him. Grinning from ear to ear, you skip through the crowd and take shelter behind an elephant. Peeking out from behind the large animal, you smile as you notice the smug fox walking along the street. Your heart races as you see him walk into an ice cream shop that you knew well. It served the best cookie dough ice cream. You had visited there many times, always leaving with a scoop of ice cream and no money spent. Licking your lips and flexing your arms, you prepare to sprint across the street.

You are a streak of grey as you dash across the street, avoiding every car that came your way. Crossing the street was like a dance. You had to flow with the traffic, keep the rhythm of the cars, and make it to the end of the performance. Ignoring the shouts of angry drivers, you continue to weave through traffic until you make it to the other side. Smiling with satisfaction, you glance into the ice cream store window. He was standing by the counter with a smaller fox by his side. It seemed like the fox was a child, but your instinct told you to look again. Narrowing your eyes, you ignored what you thought you saw and tried to see what you really saw.

The smaller fox was standing too erect. No small child was able to walk without hunching over slightly. The weight of those ears on a kit would have caused them to wobble unless they were considerably older. The elephant suit he was wearing hinted at barely old enough to walk. He also looked around too much. Like he was on alert for something or someone. The motions between him and the taller fox seemed too fluid, as if it was rehearsed. No child would listen to an adult as quickly as the fennec fox was doing at the moment.

"Something is rotten in the city of Zootopia." You say with a smirk.

After a few minutes of conversation between the fox and the elephant behind the counter, the owner finally hands your prey a large, blue jumbo pop. Motioning for the fox to leave, the elephant quickly turns to the next customer in line. It is obvious that he does not like the fox… and that they have had a similar conversation before. You stroke your hand through your wavy hair as you think about what your next move will be. It is apparent that the fox and his companion will pass by you on their way out. If you want to make any profit from him, you needed to make sure you made just the right moves. Snapping your fingers, you silently slip around the corner.

Clearing your face of all emotion, you begin to walk towards the ice cream shop only to find yourself bumping into the jumbo pop buying fox. Luckily, the little fox is holding the prize and jumps out of the way. A little too skillfully for someone who is supposed to be a child. Noticing that you and the larger fox are on the ground, you begin to help him up and apologize.

"I am so sorry sir. I hope I didn't hurt you." You say as you hoist him onto his paws.

"No problem at all miss. I hope I didn't hurt you." He says smoothly.

"Not at all. I see you are here with your little boy." You say sweetly.

"Yep, just bought him a jumbo pop. It's his birthday." He says with a smile aimed toward the jumbo pop holding fox.

The fox gives you a toot toot with his elephant suit before going to stand next to his apparent father figure.

"Toot toot." You giggle. "Birthday huh? How about I give you a little something to apologize? Buy him another gift from me." Reaching into your pocket you pull out a handful of bills. It contains a ten and a five. Although you can't afford to give up money, your gut tells you that you will be making it all back soon.

"No apologies needed." He begins as he pushes your hand back to you.

"Nonsense. Take it." You stuff it into his paw and give him a quick hug.

"Thank you miss." He says with a smile.

Nodding your head to him, you began to slowly walk away. Listening for the sound of their footsteps, you turn the corner before stopping. Just like you hoped, they start to walk toward a dark alley a few streets away. Chuckling, you silently follow.


	3. Chapter 3: Hustlers

Chapter 3: Hustlers

You twitch your tail as you scamper towards the dark alley. You narrow your eyes in an attempt to see into the vast darkness. You have spent some time in dark alleys before and have devised a way to measure exactly how dark they are. There are three levels of darkness. Dark enough to give everything a mysterious appearance, dark enough to make your eyes water when you looked for too long, and dark enough that you wondered who had placed the black blanket over everything. This particular alley was a couple levels past the third level. Grinding your teeth with frustration, you slowly inch further into the cloak of black.

'This doesn't seem suspicious at all.' You think sarcastically. 'Parents always bring their kits into dark alleys after buying them a jumbo pop large enough to last them a year.'

Your breath catches as your paw hits a small pebble. The pebble bounces across the ground quickly. The noises seem to fill the space around you and draw the attention of everything within a fifty foot radius. The silence that had seemed strange in a city like Zootopia was broken. Trying to still your frantic breathing, you wish that it would return. Looking around, you try to see through the thick, black that surrounds you. It is unnerving to be unaware of what is happening nearby. You know that the foxes are in here. You just don't know where.

'Come on, make some noise.' You think with irritation. First he is stiller than you, now he is quieter than you as well? 'Next thing I know he will be the one pickpocketing me.'

As if they heard your silent thoughts, footsteps sound off in the distance. Using your hearing, you slide along the alley wall towards the sound. You have to prick your ears up higher than usual to catch the faint scampering, but you know it is there. Once you feel like you are close enough, you stand still and try to pick up any other sounds that hint at where they are. It is deathly quiet. A drastic change from the footstep filled air you had heard just a few minutes ago. Swallowing, you convince yourself that you are not afraid and continue moving forward. It is difficult to not notice that your steps are considerably smaller. You flinch when your tail brushes against a bump in the alley wall. For a moment, it had felt like someone was reaching for you. Shaking your head, you clear your mind of the ridiculous thought. It is hard to stop from pulling your tail towards yourself.

'They can really see in all this?' You think irritably as you stub your paw on a rock.

You place your paws in front of you as you walk to prevent yourself from bumping into anything and alerting them that you are there. Stifling the fact that you should be able to see in the dark as well, you smell the air. It contains the scent of blue raspberry, dirt, wood shavings, and thick fur. It tickles your nose and actually causes your body to relax. Who knew that those particular scents together could be relaxing?

Muffled voices reach your ears as you snap out of your thoughts. They sound close and you begin moving faster. If your plan is going to work, you have to reach them before they get ready to leave. Con artists, you were positive that was what they were, never stayed in one spot for long. They made the hustle, left to complete the steps, and returned when they were sure the heat had died down. It was the same for thieves like you. Get the score and move before anyone can place you with it. You move your ears to make out what the foxes are talking about.

"Come on Finnick, we gotta get to Tundra town before the rush." A smooth voice says in hushed tones.

You instantly recognize the smooth talking, tall fox who you gave the money to. That means that the smaller fox was named Finnick. It didn't seem like a father would be talking to his son about the 'rush'. Raising one eyebrow, you listen harder.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't rush me!" A deep baritone voice responds.

Eyes widening in shock, you take a step backwards. At least there was no question anymore. That elephant suit wearing fox was no kit. He was a full grown reynard. Teeth bared, you fight the small pang of disappointment that bubbles inside of you. A small part of you wanted to be wrong. For a brief moment you had wanted him to be a father. You wanted the small fox to be a kit getting a jumbo pop on his birthday. You wanted to have bought him a gift. But none of that was true. It was all a hustle put on by a shifty fox. It was exactly what you had thought it was at first glance. That was all anything ever was.

'Well… I was right.' You think with a mixture of sadness and pride.

The sun begins to shine over the tops of the large buildings surrounding you. It allows you to be able to see in the strange alley, and you quickly duck behind a trash can. If they were able to see you in the dark it would be too easy for them to spot you now. Eyes darting around, you notice a balcony a few stories up and several loose bricks in the side of the building. Smiling, you place a delicate paw on one of the bricks and begin to climb.

"Come on Finnick, we got to go!" The tall fox calls out again in agitation.

"I just got to load one more jar! Keep your tail on!" Finnick yells loudly as he pushes a large jar full of melted, blue jumbo pop.

"This is going to be a very big day big guy. We already got a little something from that clumsy raccoon." The other fox bragged as he counted the bills in his paw. He stuffed them in his pocket while watching the smaller fox load the jar.

"I knew it!" You yell down to the pair of foxes.

You take a brief moment to enjoy the look of confusion that forms on their faces as they look around. Finnick's large ears twitch as he attempts to locate where your voice is coming from. The other fox however seems to not care after a few minutes. His eyes close slightly and a small smirk appears on his face. Growling with anger, you flick your tail and call out again.

"Over here hustlers!" You yell as your eyes shoot daggers at them.

"Up there!" Finnick yells in his surprising voice.

"Well, well, well. Hello there miss raccoon!" The other fox says with a wave of his paw.

You narrow your eyes as you respond. "Hello."


	4. Chapter 4: Robbery Honey

Chapter 4: Robbery Honey

"Nick, what's going on here?" Finnick asks with an annoyed flick of his tail. "Why is this chick here?"

"I'm not a chick." You say flatly with a spark of danger in your eyes. "I'm here because I gave Nick…" You slowly say his name. Testing it on your tongue. "some money to buy a little, baby kit a gift."

Your mouth curves into a mischievous smile as you continue to talk in a mocking tone. "You aren't a little, baby kit are you? It is hard for me to tell." You lie.

"Why you!" Finnick begins to sputter in outrage as he takes a few steps towards the building you are looking down at him from. "I outta come up there and yank your tail off!"

"Now, now, don't get cranky." Nick says with a chuckle as he steps in front of Finnick. "Little Miss Raccoon here just wants her money back. Don't ya darling?"

"Something like that." You say with a chuckle. "I see it sticking out of your pocket. Don't you feel bad that you tricked me into giving it to you?"

"Not at all." Nick says as he begins to pace back and forth. His tail swishes smoothly as he explains his reasoning to you. "You see, it is called a hustle, Stripes." He gives you a half lidded gaze. His green eyes study your face for a reaction to your new nickname. When he doesn't see any, he simply shrugs and continues. "We hustle you into giving money to us. It's how we live and how you, in your own special way, contribute to society."

"Society? Or just you?" You ask with an amused smile.

"Society… me… I don't see the difference." Nick stops pacing and looks at you. "I'm pretty sure you do the same thing Stripes."

Your tail bristles when you see the condescending look in his eyes. Obviously he is hinting at the fact that you are a raccoon. Your heart pumps faster and faster as you see the beginning of a smirk form on his smug face. Your paws tighten into small fists as you respond, all hints of playful banter leave your voice. "You could at least put my money somewhere safer. Don't you have a wallet or something?"

"Of course I do Stripes. Do you really think I walk around with pockets full of cash and no identification?" Nick says with a wounded voice. The glint in his eyes lets you know that he is only faking it.

Finnick rolls his eyes at the display in front of him and turns back to the van. Mumbling profanities to himself, he starts to load the rest of the jars into the back. His tail swishes behind him and he works. You notice that he is limping on one of his paws. You study him for a moment before looking back at Nick. The smug fox is reaching in his pocket for his wallet.

Smiling, he takes a small, brown wallet out of his pocket and shakes it in the air for a few seconds, making sure that you see it. You raise one eyebrow to let him know that you do see it and motion for him to continue. A small glimmer of satisfaction twinkles in your eyes as you see his slight hesitation. Narrowing his eyes, he slowly opens it and looks inside. His bright green eyes widen with shock as he sees the vast emptiness of the inside. All of his money, every last dollar, is gone.

"What?" He looks up at you with his mouth hanging open. "What did you do?"

"You see, it's called a robbery, Honey." You say smugly, mimicking his explanation of his hustle. Turning around gracefully, you allow your tail to swish behind you playfully. Your steps are small and dainty as you listen to the conversation happening behind you.

"She took all of your cash?" Your ears twitch as you hear Finnick's deep laugh. "All of it!"

"Yeah, yeah. Just get the stuff to Tundra town." Nick replies as he closes his wallet. "I'll met you there."

"Sh-sh-she robbed you! You shoulda seen the look on your face when you saw that empty wallet!" Finnick continued laughing as he went into the van. "Nick, you got played!"

"Played, we'll see about that." Nick says as he begins to climb up the fire escape to reach you. "Wait up Stripes!"

"Sorry Honey!" You call back in a sing song voice. "I can't hear you!" Giggling, you begin to climb higher. Your paws skillfully grab every nook and cranny on the side of the building. Making sure to balance yourself, you hurl yourself to another balcony located on a nearby building. Your stomach twists slightly, like a small wave is crashing around inside of you, but you ignore it and continue to climb. Not wanting to admit it to yourself, Nick was actually doing a good job of keeping up with you. His fox paws grabbed the building with only a slight amount of awkwardness. You turn your head for a moment to see if he will make the jump.

His eyes look down for a second before darting back up and meeting yours. Noticing the mixture of amusement and curiosity found in them, his mouth sets in a hard line. Tensing his muscles and lowering his ears, Nick hurls himself to the balcony. The metal floor moves slightly with his impact and causes him to lose his footing. Arms waving frantically, he tries to keep himself from falling over the edge. Panic fills his green eyes and causes his large tail to fluff.

"Watch it fox!" You yell as your quickly reach for him. A breath of relief escapes you as your black paws grab onto the fabric of his Hawaiian shirt. Your chest heaves with every breath as you pull him toward you and away from the edge. Smiling, you release his shirt and examine him to make sure he is not injured in any way.

"Thanks raccoon." Nick says through his panting.

"No problem." You say with a smirk. You wait a few seconds before quickly running and jumping off of the edge of the balcony.

"Stripes!" Nick yells as he quickly hurls himself to where you jumped off of. He grasps the railing with his paws and searches for any sign of you. His eyes dart around frantically, scanning the crowds below. 'Where is she?'

Smiling with relief and amusement, he finally notices you sliding down a tarp hanging over a nearby fruit stand. Your black hair flies in curls around your face as you reach the ground. He notices that your chest is moving faster than usual. You were more scared than you let on. When you reach the ground, you twirl and aim a smile in his direction. Giving him a playful wink, you disappear into the massive crowds below. Chuckling, Nick sits down and wraps his tail over the edge of the balcony. He allows the wind to cause it to sway for a few minutes. Enjoying the breeze and the peace he closes his eyes. They dart open again when he remembers that you still have his money.


	5. Chapter 5: Hurt

Chapter 5: Hurt

You casually stroll down the street towards the center of Zootopia. It is the best place to go when looking for suckers to rob blind. Your paws fondle the wad of cash in your pocket. You remember with a snicker that most of the money was from the fox you robbed a few days ago. Your ears twitch as you wonder for a moment what he is doing now. He had seemed pretty surprised when he realized that you had stolen all of his cash. Nearly two hundred dollars had found their way into your possession that day. He was one of your best scores.

'Nothing like hustling a hustler to brighten up your day.' You think with a smirk. Letting go of the money in your pocket, you whistle as your bright eyes look around. Not many animals are around at this time of day. It is nearly dark, but you have not gotten nearly as much as you normally do. Hopefully one or two more jobs will be enough to make your catch today not as embarrassing as it currently is. Grimacing, you recall the two sheep and one elephant you stole from. It was a poor performance to say the least.

Squaring your shoulders, you scan the few animals in front of you and try to pick out a nice target. Scoffing at a small otter, you roll your eyes and try to find a challenge. Most of your money comes from harder targets. Without the hint of danger involved in the robbery, you tend to lose interest. Twitching from side to side, your tail seems as impatient as you are to get one more score before it gets too dark. Cursing your inability to see in the dark like other raccoons, you speed up your search. Finally you see the perfect prey.

A large lion, wearing a nice suit and talking on a cell phone is standing near a fountain. He does not seem concerned with being robbed because you easily notice the bulge in his pocket. It is obvious that his wallet is nearly bursting with all of the cash it contains. You lick your lips in anticipation as he continues to be oblivious to your plans. Shuffling a few feet closer, your mind races to think of a plan. He is much too large for you to risk being noticed. It was one thing to rub your victory in the smug face of a hustling fox, but another thing entirely to let a lion know you have stolen from him. This job was going to require skill and subtlety.

You tiptoe in a large circle around the fountain. Carefully making sure he does not notice you, you let out a breath of relief when he continues talking on the phone. Your eyes narrow as you examine his stance. His legs are spread apart slightly and his tail is swishing casually against the ground. You smile when you see that his ears are pricked forward, engaged in the conversation on the phone. With all of his focus on talking he is unlikely to see you. Heart racing like a running cheetah, you shuffle forward. The trick was to make it look as if you were not going anywhere near him.

Eyes quickly looking to the left and right, you slip to the back of the fountain. The sound of running water fills your ears and makes it difficult to hear anything else. Grimacing at your lack of hearing, you reach a slender paw forward and aim towards the bulge in his back pocket. A few inches away you hesitate. A strange sensation tingles up your spine. Shaking it off, you continue to inch forward. You almost have it.

"Mayor Lionheart! Behind you!" A shrill voice calls out from behind you.

Turning around, your eyes widen as you see the small ewe standing a few feet away. Her arms are loaded with stacks of papers and binders. They wobble precariously as she balances them on one arm. Her other arm is pointing at you accusingly. She narrows her eyes at you from behind her large glasses. Trembling under the weight of her load, she begins to talk again, this time to you.

"How dare you try to steal from the mayor! You will get into a lot of trouble because of this!" She scolds as she adjusts the stack of papers.

You barely hear her. It is hard to think with the sound of the rushing water, the mayor screaming for the police, and the beat of your own heart. It seems like you really messed things up this time. Your tail twitches as your eyes dart around. There has to be a way out. There is _always_ a way out. Narrowing your eyes to focus harder, you notice streaks of blue racing through the crowd. The police are close. Gritting your teeth, you force yourself to calm down. The crowd has already begun to thin out as they realize that the police are coming. You adjust your footing as you wait for the right moment to sprint. The cops are almost upon you.

One is a large polar bear and you can tell that he has seen combat before. His bruised eye and permanent snarl remind you of a wolf you once stole from a few years back. He braces his shoulders and spreads his feet apart. You smirk, he is obviously the barricade. His job is to stop you if you try to run. You turn your head to see the police officer appearing from behind the troublesome ewe. A lithe shape greets your eye.

'She is the one who has to get me.' You think with a new glint in your eye as you examine the jaguar in front of you. She is tall and slender. Perfect for dodging attacks and pinning criminals to the ground. You give her a confident grin to unnerve her. Unfortunately, your stomach is doing flips. This was quite the predicament. You can not afford to be caught. Licking your lips and twitching your tail, you wait for her to come closer. Your mind continues to race as you try and think of something, anything to do to buy yourself more time. The area is almost deserted, only a few animals remain. Even as you notice, they are scurrying away.

"This is all a big misunderstanding." You say loudly as the jaguar moves closer.

"Is it?" She says in a silky voice. Her tone tells you that she is certain of getting you.

Bristling with anger, you take a deep breath before replying. "Yes. It is."

"Why is that?" She asks as she takes a few more steps towards you. Her muscles tighten beneath her uniform as she prepares to spring. "You were trying to steal from the mayor, weren't you?" With a growl, she springs towards you.

Leaning to the right, you quickly roll out of the way. Hitting the ground with your shoulder, you use the momentum to hurl yourself behind her. Smirking you reply. "Oh, I was definitely stealing from the mayor. The misunderstanding was that you thought you could catch me."

Giving you a venomous look, she springs to her feet and braces her muscles again. Extending her legs, she leaps at you a second time. Instead of landing right on you however, she lands to the side of you and sweeps your legs out from under you with her long tail. Satisfied with the grunt you give, she pins you down with her strong arms. Her violet eyes sparkle as she watches you squirm underneath her. You see her long fangs, as she grins.

Eyes burning, you quickly lift your legs into her stomach and throw her off of you. Leaping to your feet, you give your surroundings one final look before making a decision.

'I can't stay here any longer. Not only did I try to steal from the mayor, I assaulted a police officer and resisted arrest.' You think as you spin on your heel and begin to run. Like you anticipated, the polar bear is suddenly in front of you. He extends his arms to the sides and plants his feet firmly on the ground. Prepared to stop you, he places all of his weight to his feet.

Grinning, you simply duck underneath him and slide between his legs. You feel your tail skid against a sharp rock and wince. The damage does not seem bad and you continue to run. The jaguar is already following quickly. Her chest puffs with every shallow breath as she sprints towards you. Leaping over a trash can, you kick at it with your legs to try and slow her down. It does not work like you hoped and only serves to make you lose a few feet of your lead. Growling in frustration, you turn sharply and duck into an alley. The darkness causes you to stumble occasionally but you continue moving.

"You can't escape thief!" The police officer yells as she gains on you. Her claws scrape against the concrete as she picks up speed.

Not wanting to waste your breath, you simply grab hold of the brick wall next to you and begin to climb. The wall is crumbling and has many places for your paws to fit into. Gripping the rough bricks hard, your muscles tense as you heave yourself upwards. Your limber and skillful paws easily let you reach the top of the wall. Balancing, you turn to the jaguar and give her a smug wave. You can feel her burning rage as she grips the wall with her claws. Smiling at the expression on her face as she slowly climbs up after you, you drop to the other side. Your feet barely make a sound as you land. Chuckling, you brush yourself off. Your tail continues to throb slightly. Gripping it gently, you part your fur in order to see the damage. The scratch is long but it does not look deep.

"Got ya." A deep voice says behind you.

Turning around slowly, your throat catches as you realize that you had forgotten about the other officer. He towers over you with a sinister grin.

You don't like the look in his beady eyes. Swallowing nervously, you are suddenly aware that your back is against a brick wall. "You got me. You can take me to the station now."

"I don't think so." He says as he takes a large step towards you. He is so close you can smell his cheap cologne. Not wanting to show that you are afraid you bristle your tail.

"Why not?" You wince as your voice trembles slightly.

"I need to teach you a lesson." He says in a deep voice. "I can't stand criminals like you." He quickly reaches out a large paw and grips your arm roughly. His giant paw begins to squeeze. You can see saliva drip from his mouth as he grins. His fangs show clearly. "Always getting in the way of good people. You never learn unless it is the hard way."

You close your eyes for a moment as the pain in your arm increases. Your feet scramble backwards as you try to get away. "You are going to get in trouble for this."

"My partner it a horrible climber. I wouldn't be surprised if she fell back to the bottom." He says as he leans his face closer to yours. "You resisted arrest. When I finally found you… you attacked me. It was hard for me to get you. In fact…" He twists your small arm slightly to emphasize his words. "I had to hurt you."

Tears form in the corner of your eyes as you feel your struggles grow weaker and weaker. He was too big. You couldn't get away. Your arm hurt so much. Sighing, you feel your legs give out.


	6. Chapter 6: Blurry

Chapter 6: Blurry

The first few minutes are excruciating. The pain seems to radiate all the way from your arm to the tip of your tail. Every strand of fur hurts, every muscle hurts, everything just… _hurts_. He won't stop twisting your arm. The large bear is careful not to break it. Every time it seems like your bone will snap, he stops and releases his grip. Your arm straightens out and throbs dully, then he grabs it again and continues his twisting. It hurts so much. Tears fall down your cheeks and make your vision blurry. You hate showing him how much pain he is causing you, but you just can't stop.

His foot is on your tail. Grinding it into the sidewalk, causing the hairs to bristle and fall out. Pebbles crush themselves into the tenderness of your tail as his foot moves. Small stains of red begins to adorn your fur and the sidewalk. It looks like someone crushed strawberries.

Your head lolls to the side as the pain continues to increase. Twitching feebly, you succumb to the torture. After a few minutes of twisting, grinding, and random punches to the gut you realize that you don't feel the pain anymore. Everything is going numb. You don't hurt at all. It is nice.

'No, this isn't right.' You think groggily. 'I should feel something. He is hurting me so much. Why don't I feel anything?'

The bear cackles as he wrenches your arm behind your back. He slams you roughly agains the brick wall before leaning towards you ears. They twitch as you feel his hot breath. "You're falling asleep. Can't have that can we?"

With a violent twist, he bends your arm behind you. Pain rockets through your arm to your shoulder blade. You cry out as all the pain that has been fading comes back multiplied. You bite down on your tongue to try and stop the screaming. A metallic taste fills your mouth. Disgusted, you spit red liquid onto the sidewalk. You feel like your arm is being torn off.

"That's better." He says with a chuckle. "My partner isn't here yet huh? Bad luck for you. Bet you wish she had caught you instead."

Your face rubs against the brick wall as he talks. The tender tip of your nose begins to bleed as it scrapes agains the rough surface. You force yourself to ignore the pain. Telling yourself that you have been through worse, you try to block it out.

'This is nothing. I can handle this.' You think as the blood drips down your face.

Your tail is stepped on roughly. Tears mingle with the red liquid on your fur as you feel it being pressed into the ground. It just hurts so much. Your mind flashes back to when you were a cub. Your tail is bleeding and your mother tries to stop the flow of blood landing on the floor. Your place a paw on your throbbing arm to try and soothe it before your mother can notice the deep cut. Sniffling, you tell yourself that everything will be okay. Your mother will help you. She can make the blood stop. She can make the pain stop. She can make… him stop.

Your dual colored eyes snap open with shock as you are jostled out of your memory. Your ears twitch a couple times as they hone in on a strange noise. Footsteps are quickly approaching, but you can't figure out whose they are. The police officer notices them as well and quickly lifts his paw from your tail. Sighing with relief, you force yourself to turn your head. The snap your neck makes causes you to cringe. Gritting your teeth, you roll your neck to the other side to loosen it. Your arm twitches automatically, wanting to rub the sore muscles and relieve you of the pain. The polar bear's strong grip causes your soothing touch to become only a dull wish.

Your vision is blurry because of the sweat, blood, and tears but you are able to make out a vague shape. It is much smaller than the bear. Your eyes tell you that it is slender and furry. It appears to have a long tail that swishes when it talks. Your ears desperately try to make out what it is saying, but all that you hear is a high pitched ring.

'Come on. I heard the footsteps.' You think angrily. Irritated with your currently unreliable senses, you try to focus on what is happening.

The police officer begins to talk with the newcomer. His voice rumbles deep within his throat and causes your fur to vibrate with fear. His paws tighten on you as he speaks, as if he is proving that you are his prisoner. You wince as one claw grips you too tightly and causes a red bead of liquid to form on your arm. The polar bear stops talking abruptly when the smaller animal begins. You can see his ear twitch slightly and his grip loosens. It as if he is considering something but you can't figure out what. Hope flutters in your chest as his grip releases you. He is still too close for you to make a run for it. The pain coursing through your body assures you that you would collapse after a few feet.

The blurry image begins to walk towards you slowly. You blink a few times to clear your vision but nothing happens. For a moment you wonder whether liquids are blinding you or just fatigue. Swallowing a hard lump in your throat, you take a few wobbly steps backwards before collapsing on the ground. Growling under your breath, you bristle your tail when the newcomer grabs your pounding arms. It doesn't release you though, and instead helps you to your paws. Although you don't want to, you find yourself leaning against them for support as you hobble away from the intimidating police officer. Glancing behind you with disgust, you notice the police officer walking glaring after you. It is as if his eyes are sapping your strength.

Trying to ignore the shivers being sent down your spine, you shakily place one paw in front of the other. Your tail drags limply on the ground, leaving behind a faint trail of blood. You flinch every time it hits a rise in the sidewalk or bumps into a stray rock. After a few minutes you realize that you no longer feel it. In fact, you no longer feel your feet moving, or your harsh breathing. Everything begins to fade. The last thing you remember before you slip into oblivion is a faint voice.

"Don't worry… I got ya' Stripes."


	7. Chapter 7: Finnick

Chapter 7: Finnick

You stumble along blindly, the only thing you are certain of is that the body holding you up is the _only_ thing holding you up. Your two paws frequently slip out from underneath you, almost causing you to fall on your face. The ache in your tail causes it to hang limply behind you. It no longer swishes around like usual, helping you be aware of your surroundings behind you. The strange sensation of not knowing what is happening back there causes a shiver to tingle down your spine. You long to turn around but the pain in your neck forces you to continue looking forward. Swallowing the lump in your throat, you attempt to talk.

"I… ack…" You begin to cough violently because of the searing pain in your ribs. Breathing alone begins to hurt, the coughing causes you to become light headed.

"Woah Stripes, let's just stay quiet for a bit huh?" Nick says with a chuckle. "Not that I don't simply adore your voice, but maybe you could zip it for a few more minutes."

You feel a growl rising in the back of your throat, but the pain just causes it to get stuck there. You long to snap at him. To tell him that you don't need his help. That you can handle this on your own. But common sense and the ache in your gut causes you to hold your tongue. Bitterly, you wish that someone else, _anyone else_ , had found you there. Now you were forced to follow the condescending fox to an unknown location, listening to him talk the whole way.

"You know, you're pretty lucky I found you when I did. That cop looked like he wasn't going to stop until you were blacked out on the sidewalk. Not sure how he was planning on talking his way out of that one though." He scans you with his green eyes before continuing. "Not like a little thing like you could ever put up enough of a fight for him to have to beat you up _that_ badly. At most he probably would of had to push you down… right Stripes?"

Your eyes narrow at him as he talks. Silently, you glare at the teasing fox. You hope that he can get the message without you having to voice it. It seems like he does when his eyes widen at the expression on your face. Unfortunately, he begins to laugh. Your mouth opens in shock at the sound of his uncontrollable laughter. His shoulders shake slightly and you can feel his paws tighten on you so he does not drop you. Dropping the death glare, you simply stare at him in disbelief. You gave him a look that meant you wanted him to fall into a pit of fire… and he just laughs it off like it is nothing.

"Hahahahaha!" Nick's laughter is loud and spontaneous. Sometimes his voice drops to where you can barely hear it, but then it shoots back up to full volume. It is the laugh of someone who does not care who hears him laughing… and who maybe needed a good laugh the most. "Stripes… if looks could kill… I'd be the one lying dead on the sidewalk! Hahahaha!"

He wipes a stray tear from one eye before turning to look at you again. You refuse to meet his gaze and keep your eyes glued to the sidewalk. Cheeks burning with anger and embarrassment, you try to pretend that he is not even there.

"Come on now, you have to admit that this is pretty funny." The fox smiles at you, ignoring the fact that you are ignoring him. "Here I am, practically _dragging_ you through the streets because you can't even walk, and you give me the death glare. How about some appreciation? I did save your life after all."

You remain silent for two reasons. One, his smug tone and face gets on your nerves. Two, he had a point. As much as you hate to admit it, if Nick had not come over you don't know what might have happened. Swallowing the lump in your throat, and with it your pride, you speak softly. "Thanks."

"What was that Stripes?" Nick asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I said thanks." You reply through gritted teeth.

His eyes widen slightly, not much but you are able to notice. They quickly regain their half-lidded look. "You're welcome. Hang on, we're almost there."

The rest of the trip goes by in a blur. You are only aware of putting one paw in front of the other. Exhausted from the conversation, you are grateful for the silence. With a pounding heart and ringing ears, you focus only on staying awake. Fear shoots through your body at the thought of falling asleep in such a state. If you slip under, you aren't sure Nick will be able to wake you up. Tears threaten to fall but you force them to stay. You are already embarrassed from having to thank the insufferable fox. There is no way you are going to cry in front of him.

Finally you arrive at an old van. It looks like the same van Nick and the small fox were filling with the melted popsicle. Despite your best efforts, you can't remember the name of the tiny fox. All you remember is big ears and a deep voice. Groaning, you place a paw to your aching head as Nick begins to pound on the door of the van. Every hit sends a spike of pain through your skull. After a few seconds of waiting, the door rushes open quickly. Cold air hits you in the face like a ton of bricks. Doubling over, you hold your stomach and try not to vomit.

"Easy Stripes, easy." Nick whispers as he bends over and supports you. "Finnick, we need your help."

'Finnick, that was his name.' You think groggily. For some reason, just knowing his name makes the situation easier to handle.

"Nick, man… I can't deal with this right now okay?" Finnick replies in a tired voice. "I got some stuff to do."

"Look Finnick, we both know how you feel about this kind of thing, but Stripes is in trouble. You can't just leave her like this." Nick says as he hoists you back onto your paws. "Now are you going to invite us in, or am I going to have to force my way in?"

Finnick groans before motioning Nick to come inside. You vaguely notice him placing a baseball bat against a seat. It looks like it has been used several times. Dents and scratches adorn it like badges of honor. Shivers go up your spine at the thought of it being used on you. Finnick might be small, but his muscular arms show that he knows how to use the bat. You grunt as Nick gently lays you down on a pull out couch in the back of the van. The pillows are lumpy but after moving around for a few seconds they mold to your body. Your legs scream with delight at not having to support you anymore. Grinning, you sigh and close your eyes. For a moment, your body relaxes and you feel calm.

"Alright Finnick, fix her up." You hear Nick say faintly.

The steady beating of your heart threatens to make you fall asleep. Not wanting to open your eyes, but not wanting to fall asleep, you focus on what they are saying.

"Nick, come on man. It's been a while since I've actually had to help someone." Finnick says quietly. It sounds like he is turning away.

"Buddy, I know you can do it. Besides, if you don't help her… who is?" Nick says gently.

"Fine." Finnick sighs deeply before continuing. "But I'll need to remove her shirt to see how bad the damage is."

"What?" You say as your eyes bolt open. The first thing you see is a blushing Finnick and a smug Nick.


	8. Chapter 8: The Little Doctor

Chapter 8: The Little Doctor

"Come on Stripes." Nick says while glaring at you.

"No." You respond with a well given glare of your own.

"He needs to check out the damage." Nick says without missing a beat. His glare melts into one of his smug grins. He seems to always have one ready.

You cross your arms over your chest and try to ignore the uncomfortable stares Finnick is giving you. It seems that he is even less thrilled about the situation than you are. Although your back aches, you continue to sit up on the couch. There is no way you are going to argue with Nick while lying down like a defenseless damsel. You have had enough of being the damsel in distress for one day. "Fine."

"Stripes, you are going to have to… wait, what?" Nick responds with wide eyes. His mouth hangs open and his tail fluffs out with shock. Stammering and sweating, it is obvious he doesn't know what to say next.

You allow yourself a moment of pleasure before you elaborate. "I'll let Finnick do it, but you have to leave." A hint of a growl can be heard at the end of your sentence. It is taking all of your self control, and a considerable amount of pain, to stop you from strangling him.

"Seriously?" Nick says with an exasperated sigh. He slumps forward, arms hanging limply as he responds. "I'll have you know that I am Finnick's co-doctor. He needs my help to take care of you. So, I have to stay."

"Look, if I don't get a look at those injuries soon I might not be able to help you." Finnick says as he steps in front of Nick. It is obvious he is trying to block your view of him.

Unfortunately for Finnick, he is not nearly big enough to block Nick's grin. Your eyes narrow dangerously before you speak. Your voice is hard as stone, and your gaze is even harder. "I… would… rather… die."

"COME ON!" Finnick shouts as he lifts his gaze to the top of the van. Turning around quickly, he pushes Nick backwards with his small paws. "Get out Nick!"

"What?" Nick says with an irritated look. His tail swishes violently as he stumbles backwards. Pointing an accusing paw at you, he complains loudly. "You are seriously making me leave because of what _she_ has to say?"

Finnick stops pushing Nick in order to place his small paws on his hips. Scowling at Nick, he squares his shoulders in an attempt to make himself seem bigger. You think it is kind of comical, seeing the small fox try to look down on someone more than twice his size. "Look Nick, there is no way in heck I'm letting her die in my van. Especially not just because you and your wandering eyes like my patient too much."

The look on Nick's face is priceless. It makes everything worthwhile. His eyes are nothing but pinpricks of green. Mouth hanging open so wide, you are pretty sure an elephant could fit in there. His fluffed out tail and twitching complete the crazed look nicely. You are willing to go through the whole beating all over again, just to get to look at it for a few more minutes. Not bothering to hide your laughter, you let it ring throughout the van. Your stomach begins to hurt from the force of your laughter but you couldn't care less. It actually makes you feel better, because you can't imagine a better death than dying from laughing at Nick.

"W-w-what! You think I… that I could even… she is…" Nick stammers in a poor attempt to defend himself. "I have no desire to see anymore of that… that… irritating, little thief anymore than I already have!"

Raising an eyebrow, Finnick nods slowly. "Sure Nick. Whatever you have to tell yourself brother. I don't care what you think about her, you are _not_ seeing any more of her."

With a final shove, the small fox succeeds in pushing Nick out of the van. Ignoring the sputtering outrage or his friend, Finnick slams the door shut. He gives an audible sigh before slowly turning to you. A faint blush appears on his furry cheeks as his eyes meet yours. Clearing his throat, he explains what he is about to do. "I need to get a better look at your injuries so I'm going to remove your shirt. That's it though and I promise it is purely for medical reasons."

You barely manage a quick nod before you have to look away. Heat rushes to your face and causes your cheeks to burst with pink. Feeling like your face is on fire, you force yourself to stay still as Finnick's small paws grab onto your shirt. It is strange, having the fabric move away from you without you doing anything. Despite his small size, he is able to easily lift the soiled clothing over your head. Uncomfortable with the sensation of cold air on your fur, you instinctively bring your arms up to cover your torso. Sharp spikes of pain course through your body and force you to let you arms lay on your sides. Completely exposed and vulnerable, you have to lie there while Finnick's eyes roam your body.

"You have a lot of bruising around your ribs." Finnick murmurs as his paws trace the marks on your fur. Small patches of fur come off as he touches you. His eyes roam your body, looking for more injuries while his paws dart all over you. Pressing into your stomach slightly with a paw, his large ears twitch when you whimper.

"How much pain are you in when I do this?" Finnick asks as he presses into your stomach again.

"It hurts, but I can still move and talk." You say while taking deep breaths.

"Hmmm…" Finnick stares at you for a few minutes, as if he is checking to see if you are telling the truth. He begins moving his paws upwards, pressing every few inches.

Your eyes widen with concern as you realize that his paws are moving dangerously close to your furry chest. Your common sense is screaming that he is checking for injuries, but your embarrassment is telling you to stop him before it is too late. Your breathing quickens as his paws continue to move closer and closer. They are only a few inches away from your slender, but fluffy chest. His paws seem even more dwarfed by the mounds of forbidden fur. Fur that is barely covered by the light pink, lacy bra you wore. Your stomach tingles as his paws begin to move downwards. Finnick begins to examine the burns on your arms instead. Letting out a sigh of relief, you decide that as soon as you are well… you are buying a more decent bra. Preferably one that covers everything you have to offer.

"So…" You say awkwardly. The silence is making the fur on the back of your neck stand up. Desperate to fill the empty air, you try to think of something to say. "How did you learn all of… um this?"

"I don't want to talk about it." Finnick says curtly. He continues examining the burns without giving you a glance.

Glaring at him, you hold back your angry retort. The last thing you want to do is upset the fox healing you. "Fine. Silence it is."

You notice his ears twitch at the tone of your voice. Finnick's ears go down as he sighs. He turns his head towards you and studies you for a minute. His brown eyes drill into yours, as if he is searching for something. After a few seconds of searching, he clears his throat and speaks again. "You really want to know?"

You hesitate for a moment. The look he is giving you makes you feel like you need to think hard about your answer. You tear your gaze away from his so you can think clearly. Relieved from no longer having his eyes drilling into you, you let out a sigh. Your brain is whirling faster than a cheetah. Do you really want to hear what he has to say? Something in your gut tells you that it is a personal story. Something that he shouldn't be comfortable talking about with a raccoon he just met. It would be better to tell him no. Then you both could forget about it. He could heal you and you could leave, never having to see the two foxes again. That is what you should do. But… your curiosity is peaked. Gritting your teeth, you know that there is only one answer you are going to give. After a minute of silence, you nod your head. Your ears twitch as Finnick moves. When you turn your head, his body is facing you.

"Here we go…" He begins.


End file.
